Honors Theses
Date of Award
Spring 5-2-2025
Document Type
Undergraduate Thesis
Department
Health, Exercise Science, and Recreation Management
First Advisor
Chip Wade
Second Advisor
Kaitlyn Armstrong
Third Advisor
Corbit Franks
Relational Format
Dissertation/Thesis
Abstract
Abstract
The Impact of Menstrual Cycle Phase on Upper Extremity Function
Background: There has been a significant rise in the number of female athletes participating across the spectrum of sports. While there are a multitude of research studies looking at physiology in sports on performance, training methods, and injuries; this research is general across genders. When it comes to female-specific physiology concerning training and injuries, there is little research. One such gender-specific physiological focus is the menstrual cycle in the female population. The literature suggests changes in joint laxity and muscle repair throughout the various phases of the menstrual cycle, which can affect how female athletes respond to training. To optimize performance, reduce injury risk, and ensure better care for female athletes, a deeper understanding of these hormonal fluctuations is crucial.
Methods: 16 physically active females completed the study. Saliva samples were completed at each visit, and urinary testing was completed prior to visits 2 and 5 to analyze hormonal fluctuations and confirm cycle phase, while the Proteus® Motion was used for physical assessments. Visits were timed to occur within 96 hours of the onset of menses, within 24 hours of a positive urinary LH test, and 7 to 9 days post-ovulation. After data collection, Stata version 17.0 (StataCorp. Stata Statistical Software: Release 17. College Station, TX: StataCorp LLC) was used to perform the statistical analysis.
Results: There were quantitative and statistical differences within cycle 1 phases for visit 1 and 2, visit 2 and 3, and visit 1 and 3. Additionally, there were quantitative and statistical differences within cycle 2 phases for visit 4 and 5, visit 5 and 6, and visit 4 and 6. While there were quantitative differences across matched phases across cycles, these differences were insignificant.
Conclusions: The results of this study suggest that the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle is associated with enhanced performance in upper extremity tasks involving power, velocity, range of motion, acceleration, and deceleration.
Recommended Citation
Cochran, Emma D. and Armstrong, Kaitlyn M., "Impact of Menstrual Cycle Phase on Upper Extremity Function" (2025). Honors Theses. 3348.
https://egrove.olemiss.edu/hon_thesis/3348